By Roy J. Akers
for the Oakland Press
Videos and pictures to follow later
Hebert Interview archived at http://youtu.be/j06Rn9bgxEQ
Round Three Leader Highlights are at ...http://youtu.be/tGj7U8CU82E
Rochester- When Thomas Harding (Kendall Golf Academy) found himself with a one shot lead over the field, he knew plenty of golfers were within his two day total of 68-68-136. But one golfer in particular had to be on his mind and for good reason. Scott Hebert (68-71-69-208) has won the Michigan PGA trophy five times in his illustrious career and even a seasoned golfer such as Harding knows that slipping up to a closer like Hebert could play on your mind. “Whatever went right the first two days sure didn’t go right today,” said Harding. “I think I had 38 putts. I missed about a five-foot putt for birdie straight up the hill on No. 2 and never made a birdie, never got comfortable.”
After Hebert's round on Tuesday he was matter of fact but his last statement proved to be prophetic. “My ball moved on the fourth hole and I had to take a penalty shot, and on my second bogey my ball hit a sprinkler head and just shot over the green,” he said. “Other than that I played pretty well. As long as I’m in reach. I’ve started back from farther than this.” The saying goes what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and a three shot deficit did not discourage him.
Still, Hebert knew that he needed the field to come back to him to maximize winning his sixth PGA title. Hebert's won his sixth Michigan PGA Professional Championship title tying Chick Harbert for second place in all-time wins for this tournament and his experience did not hurt him. "It's the comfort of being there before. I felt the pressure coming down the last few holes. I was trying to get ahold of those memories and take advantage," said Hebert.
While rounds of 72 or better were plentiful the first two days of the tournament only four rounds were under par on the final day and only Hebert went under 70 (69). Ian Ziska of Katke GC/FSU was seven under after the first two days but like many at the top of the leaderboard, he went backwards (66-71-75-212) to finish alone in second place. Bradley Dean of Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City started out with a (68-69-78-215) and drifted to a tie for fifth. He did make a dandy of a score on the 456 yard par four 7th and flied the green by a good 25 yards and then had to chip through trees and saved par.
Oakland University teaching professional Matthew Zavadil closed with a final round of one under par 71 and his three day total of (69-74-71-214 left him in a tie with Harding for third place. TJ Roberts of Walnut Hills Country Club in East Lansing, who shot 74, Scott Schulte of Country Club of Detroit, who shot 72, and John Seltzer of The Polo Fields in Ypsilanti, who shot, 75, finished in a tie at 215.
The top ten golfers are automatically qualify for the 2013 PNC where those players will compete for the right to play in next years PGA. Brian Cairns-Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center said his recent experience was the "best tournament golf experience of his life." As a past champion of this event, he has qualified to play next year in Oregon and possibly play with the veterans of the PGA Tour.
The next 10 golfers in the state championship for club and teaching professionals earned exemptions, which means Ziska, Harding, Zavadil, Dean, Roberts, Schulte, Seltzer, Lee Houtteman of Grand Traverse Resort, Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods and Matt Pesta of Beacon Hills Golf Club will make the June 23-26 trip to Sun River, Ore., for the national event.
Houtteman, Martin and Pesta won their spots in a four-golfer playoff for three spots. George Bowman of Oakhurst in Clarkston will be the first alternate.
“It’s nice to be No. 1 among your peers,” Hebert said after collecting a $6,000 first-place check, a crystal trophy and earning another inscription of his name on the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy.
2012 Michigan PGA Professional Championship
Oakland University - Sharf / Katke
August 20 - 22, 2012
Final Results
Place Player Representing R1 R2R3 Total +/- Amount
* Qualified for the 2012 PGAProfessional National Championship
1 Scott Hebert (exempt) Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 68 71 69 208 -8 $6,000.00
2 *Ian Ziska Katke GC/FSU 66 71 75 212 -4 $3,000.00
T3 *Thomas Harding Kendall Academy of Golf 68 68 78 214 -2 $1,550.00
*Matthew Zavadil Oakland University Golf & Learning 69 74 71 214 -2 $1,550.00
T5 *Bradley Dean Crystal Mountain Resort 68 69 78 215 -1 $862.50
*TJ Roberts Walnut Hills Country Club 71 70 74 215 -1 $862.50
*ScottSchulte Country Club of Detroit 72 71 72 215 -1 $862.50
*John Seltzer The Polo Fields Golf & CC - Ann Arbor 66 74 75 215 -1 $862.50
T9 *Lee Houtteman Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 68 76 72 216 Even $698.75
*Kyle Martin Lochmoor Club 75 66 75 216 Even $698.75
*Matt Pesta Beacon Hill Golf Club 70 74 72 216 Even $698.75
1stalt George Bowman Oakhurst Golf & CC 74 69 73 216 Even $698.75
13 Brian Cairns (exempt) Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center 72 72 73 217 +1 $670.00
14 2nd alt David Tokarsky Saginaw Country Club 73 74 71 218 +2 $660.00
15 3rd alt Jeff Gniewek Knollwood Country Club 74 70 75 219 +3 $650.00
T16 Dan Flynn Midland Country Club 72 73 75 220 +4 $630.00
Brent Goulding Prestwick Village Golf Club 72 75 73 220 +4 $630.00
John Nolan Van Dyke Sports Center 72 74 74 220 +4 $630.00
T19 Dave Kendall Kendall Academy of Golf 73 72 76 221 +5 $580.00
Gary Lewandowski St. Ives Golf Club 70 72 79 221 +5 $580.00
Kevin Muir The Wyndgate 72 74 75 221 +5 $580.00
Clark Peterson Golf Performance Academy 71 72 78 221 +5 $580.00
Gary Smithson Thousand Oaks Golf Club 74 76 71 221 +5 $580.00
Dan Urban Egypt Valley Country Club 74 73 74 221 +5 $580.00
David VanLoozen Edgewood Country Club 68 74 79 221 +5 $580.00
T26 Bill Mory Meridian Sun Golf Club 71 75 77 223 +7 $531.67
John Traub PGA Life Member 74 73 76 223 +7 $531.67
Jordan Young Fox Hills Learning Center 73 74 76 223 +7 $531.67
T29 Randy Erskine Great Oaks Country Club 71 77 76 224 +8 $507.50
Shane Hollandsworth A-Ga-Ming Golf Club 73 78 73 224 +8 $507.50
Erich Kuhlman The Fortress 72 77 75 224 +8 $507.50
T29 Frank McAuliffe Kendall Academy of Golf 71 73 80 224 +8 $507.50
Jerry Roman Hidden River Golf& CC 72 70 82 224 +8 $507.50
Jeffrey Stalcup The Orchards Golf Club 77 70 77 224 +8 $507.50
T35 Ron Beurmann Country Club of Jackson 74 75 76 225 +9 $470.00
Greg Bores Pheasant Run Golf Club 75 74 76 225 +9 $470.00
Steve Brady Oakland Hills Country Club 75 75 75 225 +9 $470.00
James Deiters Midland Country Club 71 77 77 225 +9 $470.00
Josh Fryer Franklin Hills Country Club 75 72 78 225 +9 $470.00
News and Notes:
Winning the Michigan PGA is a big deal and putting your name on the Gilbert A. Currie trophy is a major accomplishment. The who's who of not just Michigan golf but golf internationally is inscribed. Herbert is tied for second with Chick Harbert who won the tournament during the WWII era and the all-time winner is Al Watrous who won this tournament eight times. Oakland County Golfers in the top 25 include:
*Matthew Zavadil Oakland University Golf & Learning 69 74 71 214 -2 $1,550.00
*Matt Pesta Beacon Hill Golf Club 70 74 72 216 Even $698.75
1stalt George Bowman Oakhurst Golf & CC 74 69 73 216 Even $698.75
15 3rd alt Jeff Gniewek Knollwood Country Club 74 70 75 219 +3 $650.00
Brent Goulding Prestwick Village Golf Club 72 75 73 220 +4 $630.00
Kevin Muir The Wyndgate 72 74 75 221 +5 $580.00
David VanLoozen Edgewood Country Club 68 74 79 221 +5 $580.00
A complete list of winners of the Michigan PGA.
MI PGA Champs (to 1993)
2011 Scott Hebert
2010 Ron Beurmann
2009 Scott Hebert
2008 Scott Hebert
2007 Scott Hebert
2006 Scott Hebert
2005 John DalCorobbo
2004 Joe Pollack
2003 Jeff Roth
2002 Ken Allard
2001 Jeff Roth
2000 Brian Cairns
1999 Jeff Roth
1998 Jeff Roth
1997 Tom Harding
1996 Brian Cairns
1995 Steve Brady
1994 Bob Makoski
1993 Steve Brady
http://www.michiganpgagolf.com/mi-pga-champs/
Several names have been bandied about to take the place of the Buick Open that took place for over 50 years at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc. In the next few weeks I will go over some of the names but it is time to seriously look at Oakland Universities Katke Cousins and the Sharf. By all accounts Indianwood Country Club in Lake Orion did a great job in hosting the US Senior Open and they have the experience of hosting three major USGA events and if they can secure sponsorship, they would me on any short list of potential PGA Tour sites when an opening becomes available on the schedule. 
